COMPOSITION OF CICER-SOONGARICUM SEEDS

Abstract

The legume, Cicer soongaricum grows wild in high altitude regions of the Himalayas. The seeds are nutritionally rich, containing 19.1% protein, 44.5% starch, 7.2% oil and 3.4% minerals. Glutelin has been found to be the major protein fraction (43.7%) whereas albumin, globulin and prolamin are 11.5, 14.3 and 6.6%, respectively. The oil contains 29.8% phospholipids, wherein palmitic (30.0%), stearic (32.4%) and linolenic acids (13.6%) are the major fatty acids. The phospholipid fraction has an appreciable content of phosphatidyl choline (1.0% in the seed) which is higher than in soya bean, presently the commercial source of its manufacture.